| Pages:
1
2
3
4 |
Capt. George
Super Nomad
Posts: 2129
Registered: 8-21-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
Ow-Ow-Ow-----OUCH!!
Just got my MRI and the results:
A large herniated disc L4-L5
Further info: Neuro Foraminal Pinching
Any of my fellow Nomads dealt with anything similar to this??
App't with Neurosurgeon on Thursday..gotta get fixed up and head home to Abreojos........SOOOOOONN!
\"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men\" Plato
|
|
|
Ken Bondy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3326
Registered: 12-13-2002
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mellow
|
|
George
My sympathies. I had the same thing, large herniated disc L4-L5 (1/2" bulge pressing directly on the sciatic nerve). Pain was excruciating, could
hardly walk. After unsuccessful treatment with chiropractic, accupuncture, epidural injections (3), I finally had a laminectomy in 2003. The
operation was completely successful, I have never had a recurrance. I had a GREAT neurosurgeon!
++Ken++
|
|
|
postholedigger
Nomad
Posts: 189
Registered: 1-6-2008
Member Is Offline
|
|
I have 3 herniated discs L2, 3, and 4. I haven't had surgery on them but regular exercise and strengthening of the core muscles keep the spine from
having to bear the brunt of the work and it keeps the nerve from being P-nche(d).
|
|
|
Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by postholedigger
I have 3 herniated discs L2, 3, and 4. I haven't had surgery on them but regular exercise and strengthening of the core muscles keep the spine from
having to bear the brunt of the work and it keeps the nerve from being P-nche(d). |
Me too, but only one disc, and not sure which one (technically speaking). Happened about 6 years ago with a very heavy lift (stupid). Excercise has
been the answer for me, also. But I know that is not the answer for many, but it has got to help----I do several recommended back excercises 4 times
a week----if I stop for a month, or so, it gets really bad----so I only stopped once----never again. 
Back injuries are just horrible-------my sympathies to you Captain.
Barry
|
|
|
Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
|
|
Capt. George, Walking a bit might help. Have had a kink or two in my back. Getting out of bed on my knees, sneezing hurts, etc. If you can walk for a while, not far, just a bit, it seems to give me some
relief. Try it. A lot better than surgery.
|
|
|
ncampion
Super Nomad
Posts: 1238
Registered: 4-15-2006
Location: Loreto
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retired and Loving it
|
|
Don't go for a laminectomy unless that's the only choice. Newer procedures are better and less invasive. Had one done last Dec. 100% fix and walked
out of the hospital same day. Check this out:
http://www.espine.com/lumbar-microdiscectomy.htm
Need an up to date neurosurgeon. Good luck.
|
|
|
DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
Gees---not good----John also has pretty much the same thing. His back hurts most of the time, especially if he twists the wrong way, and I have seen
him so bad that he could not walk at all--- that was when he had the MRI
For him, walking on a regular basis on the beach in Baja helps. (We are much better about walking everyday when in Baja) A good chiropracter has
helped a lot.
A good Also, for some relief when it is acting up, this works for both of us (my back problems are different) Stretch out on you back on the floor.
Put your lower legs on a dinning type chair with knees bent and let your back settle. Just relax, don't try to force anything, but wait until the
small of your back relaxes down to the floor---can take 1/2 hour sometimes. It relaxes the tight muscles that can cause some of the pain.
Just a suggestion---helps us. For us, surgery would be the VERY last resort.
Good luck
Diane
|
|
|
longlegsinlapaz
Super Nomad
Posts: 1685
Registered: 11-18-2005
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
|
|
Hmmmmmm....strange it's only men sharing info! I too had a herniated L5 disk for 4 years. I'd never had surgery in my entire life & my spine was
the last place I wanted to start, so I tried all the non-invasive recommendations I got....exercise, physical therapy, cortizone injections directly
into the disk....in the hope of getting the inflammation down & get it to pull back into my spinal column. No such luck! Mine also was pressing
directly into my sciatic nerve & I'd be under total bed rest for a week every 6-12 months from flareups. After 4 years, it ruptured & I
couldn't walk, stand, crawl, lived in fear of sneezing & even my dog or cat jumping on the bed.
George, there were several things that I discovered helped me....either a spa or a tub of the hottest water you can stand & when you sleep, lay on
your side & curl up in into a tight fetal position; this allows your spine to open up & frequently the herniated disk will relax a little
& pull back into your spinal column. Don't twist at the waist & don't lift anything heavier than a cerveza! Anything you do life, lift it as
close to your body as possible, don't lift anything at arms length. What made mine go from herniated to ruptured in 1/100th of a
second flat was me lifting a 5lb electric chainsaw over the tailgate of my truck! I drove from Portland back to Seattle & had to call my
neighbors to get me from my truck into the house! Couldn't stand, couldn't walk, couldn't straighten up! The pain of any movement whatsoever,
including breathing, was so excruciating it took 2 EMT's 45 minutes to get me from the seated position they found me in onto a gurney. I was taken to
ER Saturday 8 PM, admitted Sunday 3 AM afterNOTHING they gave me during those 7 hours in ER even thought about touching the pain!
They did a current MRI Monday AM & operated on me Wednesday evening around 7PM. I made it to the bathroom in my room under my own power that
evening & the nurse had to make me stop on my first "mandatory hall walk" the following morning because I was willing & able to walk much
farther than she felt I should have been able to! Granted I was still loaded with painkillers from surgery, but I begged the doc to let me go home
Thursday. He told me if I still felt like dancing Friday AM, he'd release me. Friday AM when he stuck his head in the door & asked if I wanted
to dance, I muttered a very emphatic & heartfelt "Go to hell!" I was
released Saturday! So I was in the hospital a full week & on medical leave
for 2 full months. I lucked out big time....the neurosurgeon I got was the one who did all the neurosurgery for the [then] Seattle Seahawks. But I
still ended up with a small degree of permanent nerve & muscle damage because of the 4 days it took to find a slot to schedule my surgery into.
George, you only think you know what pain is now ....schedule surgery soon, because if it ruptures, you'll have a whole new definition
of pain.
|
|
|
Capt. George
Super Nomad
Posts: 2129
Registered: 8-21-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thanks all!
Certainly more informed then I was this morning.
Without meds the pain is excruciating and I have a relatively high pain tolerance. Will see the Neurosurgeon on Thursday and know more.
ncampion, I will definately look into this procedure.
Gotta love the Nomads!! cap'n g
\"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men\" Plato
|
|
|
Capt. George
Super Nomad
Posts: 2129
Registered: 8-21-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
legs
maybe we'll get to see you in Abreojos this summer?? too hot in La Paz
how long ago was your operation?
george
\"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men\" Plato
|
|
|
Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
Member Is Offline
|
|
Capt, sorry about your problems. I learned something today too. I thought you were talking about hurricane season. I thought a laminectomy was
removing the plywood from the windows and doors after the storm (what didn't blow away).
|
|
|
bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
One more hint. If you sleep on your side put a pillow between your knees and when you sleep on your back, put two pillows under your knees. I have
been sleeping this way for over 30 years and am hoping to continue without surgery for 30 more. I am very adept at transferring the pillows around
but try to sleep on my back most of the time.
Hope you will be better soon. one way or another
|
|
|
Russ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6742
Registered: 7-4-2004
Location: Punta Chivato
Member Is Offline
|
|
Mine just went out yesterday. First time in about 7 years. I think it won't be the normal 5 to6 weeks this time. Already doing a few stretches and
walking. Getting out of bed was painful this morning. I had it bad before I moved down here and became more careful. But like so many other things in
my life here I became very lazy and stopped doing some simple stretches every day. Payback time! Good luck and a speedy recovery Capt. George!
|
|
|
Gadget
Senior Nomad
Posts: 851
Registered: 9-10-2006
Location: Point Loma CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Blessed with another day
|
|
I have degenerative disks L2-3 bone on bone, 3-4 50%, from a fall through a roof on a job site 20+ years ago.
Told them in emergency I broke my back.
They didn't see all the soft tissue damage only looking for fractures in the vertebrea.
Found out about the "castastrophic motorcycle accident look" of my spine 2 years ago when I had a good X-ray done looking for broken ribs after I got
kicked by a young black belt sparring in the dojo, who didn't like getting showed up by an old guy.
The whole vertebrea mess is fused together with scar tissue and bone bridging and is pretty darn stable. I'm lucky its high and bulgeing misses the
nerves.
As others posted, core strength, weight control and exercise are all key both before and after you do have anything done to keep pain down.
I do Qi-Gong martials arts which is a slow stretching workout routine. Specifically a routine for low back pain which mirrors the fluid movements of
water. It takes about 30min. and you feel like gumby when done.
http://www.pacifichealingarts.com
I don't buy into the Senseis nature worship mumbo jumbo, just do the workout with the volumn off.
Prayers are with you George and all you other Nomads with bum backs.
"Mankind will not be judged by their faults, but by the direction of their lives." Leo Giovinetti
See you in Baja
http://www.LocosMocos.com
Gadget |
|
|
Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy!
|
|
My back finally gave out a few years ago after 25 years of landscaping. All the exercises didn't seem to help. Same thing happened to my brother and
he said even swimming didn't help--it was only after he started distance running again that the pain went away. So I gave it a try and it really
worked! Go figure. My only guess is that running somehow settles things back into place. I realize this isn't indicated for severe cases requiring
surgery.
|
|
|
longlegsinlapaz
Super Nomad
Posts: 1685
Registered: 11-18-2005
Location: La Paz
Member Is Offline
|
|
George, my surgery was nearly 12 years ago.
Depending on your specific condition & what the neurosurgeon recommends, you'll have to make a decision on what's right for you. I was so freaked
because I knew I'd lost all options of avoiding surgery any longer, that I can't tell you the name of the procedure I had, but I can tell ya that my
scar is about 1" and I left the operating room 1/4" shorter than I went in!
Mexitron, your suggestion to run makes me cringe, I have no portion of that disk left, so running actually causes pain from no longer having a "shock
absorber" in that portion of my spine.
Sorry Diane, you hit the post button just before I did! I retract my comment about only guys responding!
Judy, the pillow between the knees is one I'd forgotten! That one does help, but not on my back with pillows under knees....just goes to show that
we are all unique individuals & no two of our injuries or recoveries will be the same.
What I can say with assurance is that if I'd known how successful my surgery was going to be, I'd have had it 4 years sooner when it was diagnosed as
immediately operable, rather than living in pain & fear of an invasive procedure. In all the years since my surgery, I've only gone back to the
doctor walking like an inverted "L" ONCE!! And it was my own fault....I overdid with heavy stuff!!
|
|
|
rogerj1
Nomad
Posts: 265
Registered: 4-29-2004
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Member Is Offline
|
|
After many years of varied treatment and after talking to a neurosurgeon, I stumbled onto a stretching technique that has changed my life. Here's a
link that looks helpful.
http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/fitness/h_MckenzieExt.htm
By the way, the microdiskectomy is ideal for someone with sciatic pain, radiating down the leg. Less so for just back pain.
|
|
|
Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3812
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
Member Is Offline
|
|
I have degenerative disc disease. After going through all the hoops and jumps that insurance made me go through without any relief I was finally
granted permission for surgery. The procedure was done by the head of Neurosurgery in Pasadena 13 years ago. He told me I would probably have to do it
again in 10 years. It is creeping back again, so I have to be very careful and do most of what everyone who posted above does re lifting, stretching,
twisting, pillow sleeping, etc.
Dern had the same surgery 5 years ago with my same neurosurgeon and is doing great.
Our doctor said, "walk, walk and walk." So we do.
Good luck!
P<*)))><
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
|
|
|
toneart
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4901
Registered: 7-23-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: Skeptical
|
|
I think most of us have had back problems. I consider myself very lucky so far. When I was a child I threw my sacroiliac out by swinging one leg. A
chiropractor fixed it. As an adult, my lower back goes out about twice a year and puts the muscles into spasm.
One time I was completely immobile; the pain was so great I couldn't turn over in bed. I couldn't get off my back and onto my side, the pain was so
great. I had just moved into my house and didn't have my phone hooked up yet. It gets worse: The little kids next door had tried to set my house on
fire, first by building
and lighting a stack of sticks and paper under the house. The Gas & Electric co. man discovered it when he turned on the power and gas. The next
day they set fire to the tall dry weeds in my back yard. It gets even worse: I didn't have the foresight to take a jar to bed with me. Needless to
say, I was lying in a soaked mattress.
After 48 hours with no way to get help I thought I would die in there. I knew that if those kids were successful in setting my house on fire, I would
be BBQ. I meditated on levitating off the bed and landing on my hands and knees on the floor. I knew I had only one chance at it and that it would be
very painful. Don't ask my how I did it. I just visualized being on my hands and knees on the floor and that is how I landed. It was excruciating.
I crawled to the wall and lifted myself up by my fingers in the door jamb. I inched along the wall and made it outside where a passerby helped me to
the hospital.
There have been many other times where I could hardly walk, but that was the worst.
As I get older the time it takes to heal is longer. But it does get well in time. I have never injured my back. It always goes out with some passive
activity, like reaching for my shoes or bending over the sink.
The good news is when I'm well, I'm well! I ski, backpack, dance, maneuver in after dark escapades, and never seem to hurt my back. Chiropractors have
helped me, but the last one hurt me. Mostly I let time take care of it. I am a physically active person and exercise, stretch and walk regularly. I
am always conscience of protecting my back and get up out of chairs slowly. Once I am up.....no problem. I find that, when the back starts to go out
and throw the muscles into spasm, I try to remain very still until the first spasm passes. I put an ice pack on the affected area for about 15 or 20
minutes. That almost always give a little relief from pain. The next day, when the inflammation has somewhat subsided, I alternate ice and heat packs.
As I said, I think I am lucky. It doesn't seem to be a herniated disk.
Capt. George,
I wish you the the best of luck in your treatment and hope you can get back to Abreojos this winter.
|
|
|
Iflyfish
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
I had a c5/c6 discectomy and fusion. Neck. Great surgery, easy recovery, relieved the pain and it has not come back. Be sure and see your MRI images,
be sure and ask all the questions that you have. Scar tissue can cause problems post surgery. Ask what is the likelihood of this.
My best to you.
Iflyfish
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2
3
4 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
